


Mother Wolf

by Northern_Lady



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Cold Weather, Falling In Love, Frenemies, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Knights - Freeform, Morning Sickness, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-07 06:17:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12835071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Lady/pseuds/Northern_Lady
Summary: “Well, I suppose if you’re not bored then you won’t be interested in being occupied doing something more interesting?” Arya said.Jaime hoped she wasn’t going to ask him to spar. He had seen the younger Stark girl practicing in the yard with some of the men over the past few days. She was good and she would likely humiliate him if he tried to challenge her. “That depends on what you have in mind.”





	1. Chapter 1

Winterfell was nothing like home. Jaime had never expected it would be. He had expected the cold and the looks of hatred from all the northerners, especially the Starks. In truth, the Starks largely ignored him. Jon had accepted his oaths of fealty and his offer to share whatever Lannister forces would follow Jaime rather than Cersei (which consisted of only a few hundred that he had picked up near the twins) and after that had given him a room and left him to himself. Jaime had been in Winterfell for just over a week while the King in the North waited for the mountain clans to all arrive and prepare for battle with the Dead. This could be the end of the world and he had never expected it to be so lonely. That’s what got to him most in all this. The fact that there was no one left to care if he died in the war to come. His children were dead, his father was dead, Cersei hated him, he was pretty sure Tyrion hated him as well though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. Brienne might have been happy to see him but she had apparently been sent on some errand for Sansa before he’d even arrived. And all while he had no one to even talk to, the Starks were finally a family again. The north people were all trying to keep their spirits up by keeping busy with both work and games and Jaime was largely ignored through it all. He told himself he didn’t care, that there were more important things to worry about, and he found his own solitary tasks to keep busy with. 

Jaime was busy loading firewood into a cart in the courtyard when he heard someone approach behind him. 

“Bored yet, Lannister?” It was Arya Stark. This was the first time she had spoken to him since his arrival. 

“Not at all,” Jaime replied, turning to her. “I’m having loads of fun.” 

“Exactly half a load, I’d say,” Arya said, glancing at his half empty cart. 

“Unless you count the other four I already finished with,” Jaime said. 

“Well, I suppose if you’re not bored then you won’t be interested in being occupied doing something more interesting?” Arya said.

Jaime hoped she wasn’t going to ask him to spar. He had seen the younger Stark girl practicing in the yard with some of the men over the past few days. She was good and she would likely humiliate him if he tried to challenge her. “That depends on what you have in mind.” 

“Just a little errand is all to retrieve a sword and bring it back here,” Arya said. “Jon’s friend Samwell has the Tarly family sword and we need all the Valyrian Steel we can get. Sam was on his way north from Old Town but he sent a bird to tell us that the woman he travels with and her son are very sick. They’ve taken shelter at Riverrun. Sam is reluctant to leave them so the only way we’re getting the sword is if we go there and get it. I suggested to Jon that while we’re at Riverrun some of the Lannister men that are there might come north with you.” 

“We?” Jaime asked, unsure exactly what she meant by that. “How many others are going on this quest of yours?” 

“No others. Winterfell needs as many people as we can spare to defend it.” 

“Yet you’re planning to leave and you only just got home? Don’t you want to stay and defend your family?” 

“I want Sansa to sleep at night. She doesn’t like you being here. Besides, I like traveling and this way I get to find out if you’re a liar about your fealty to Jon or not. If you are, you won’t be coming back to Winterfell.” 

So this was to be a test of his loyalty. He would get to spend weeks and weeks proving himself to this arrogant Stark child. “I thought you said this was going to be fun.” 

She smiled a little. “Oh it will be. Be ready in the morning. We set out at first light.” 

*************************************

In the morning Jaime mounted his horse called Honor and joined Arya in the courtyard on her dapple gray mare. She led the way out of the gate and onto the road. They rode for some miles in silence. The wind was cold and a snow had started to fall and Jaime didn’t feel much up for talking anyway. 

About noon, Arya stopped her horse, dismounted, and headed off into the forest on foot. Jaime didn’t follow her. He dismounted and went in the opposite direction to make water. By the time he returned to his horse Arya was already back and getting food from her saddle bags. Jaime got his own food and mounted his horse to eat on the road. She did the same. This time she pulled up her horse alongside his. 

“Do you hate the cold or have you gotten used to it?” she asked him. 

“I doubt I’ll ever be used to it but I don’t hate it.” 

“I rather liked the warmth in the South. I used wander all over the streets of Kings Landing catching cats and there was never any need for a cloak or boots. I did miss the snow though. Or maybe I just missed Winterfell. How long since you’ve been to Casterly Rock?” 

“More than a year,” Jaime told her. He wondered if she was just making polite conversation or was trying to test his honesty. “I don’t particularly miss it. My father wasn’t exactly a sentimental man and my memories of the place are probably quite different than your memories of Winterfell.” 

“Of course they are. I never fucked my brother,” Arya said, though she didn’t sound angry or disgusted. It was just a statement. 

“Maybe if you’d had a father like mine then things would have been different,” Jaime said, irritated. 

“That’s stupid… You’re trying to tell me that having a cruel father always results in brothers and sisters fucking?” 

“Of course not. It actually had nothing to do with him. It started when we children and I’ll not talk about it anymore after this. Understood?” Jaime said, biting back his anger. 

“Alright, I won’t mention it again if you’ll tell me one thing.” 

“And what would that be?” 

“Why did you kill Jory Castle?” Arya asked. 

Jaime sighed. “You mother had my brother hostage. I wanted him back. I wanted your father to order that Tyrion be freed. Jory got in the way. It was nothing personal. I was fighting for my family. Perhaps that’s something you can understand?” 

“I can,” Arya said a little sadly. 

“Good,” Jaime said, glad to be done with the subject. “And while we’re dredging up all our old grudges and bad memories, perhaps you can tell me what really happened that day on the King’s Road with Joffrey and your direwolf?” 

“Joffrey cut Micah. My wolf attacked him for my sake. It happened just like i told the king. Sansa was the one who lied, or maybe just failed to tell the whole truth.” 

“I suppose she did what she had to do,” Jaime said. 

“I suppose,” Arya said, only sounding half convinced. “But it was years ago and I’m not angry with Sansa anymore. She was just a child,” 

They fell silent for a long while and didn’t resume conversation until that evening when they stopped to make camp. 

*******************************

The next morning Jaime woke to the sound of someone vomiting. Arya was no longer in her bedroll across the fire. She was somewhere nearby in the forest and apparently she was sick. He didn’t say a word about it when she returned to the campsite looking almost green with queasiness. She helped to cook a breakfast over the campfire and then they packed up the camp and set off on their way again. 

They did talk that day. Much of the conversation was spent catching up on where they had been in recent years. Arya asked about Jaime’s time as Rob’s prisoner and he didn’t want to talk about it at least not in depth nor about the loss of his hand, everything else though was spoken of freely. They did have mild arguments at times but it was more banter than actual anger. 

By evening Arya seemed rather exhausted. She nearly fell from her horse dismounting but managed to catch herself and stay upright. She all but dragged herself through the chores to tend her horse and set up the campsite and after only a few bites of food she fell into an exhausted sleep. 

The next morning Jaime awoke for the second time to the sound of Arya retching in the forest nearby. She returned to the campsite and there was no possibility of her hiding how unwell she was. 

“Are you ill?” Jaime asked her. 

“I’m fine,” she said. He hadn’t expected she would admit weakness but she clearly wasn’t fine. 

“So those were squirrels I heard puking in the woods?” 

“I have no idea what the fuck you heard. I’m fine.” 

“Arya, do you take me for an idiot? If you’re ill, if you’re not at your best, I need to know it in the case that we meet enemies on the road. If you’re sick and need a maester and I don’t find you one, your brother would have my head. In that case the Tarly sword will never make it back to Winterfell. There are worse things than your pride at stake here.” 

Arya looked a little humbled at his words. “Maybe I...maybe I ate some bad food somewhere along the way.” 

“We ate the same food,” Jaime pointed out. 

“No, I had smoked stag from my saddlebags. You didn’t.” 

“Best not eat anymore of that.” Jaime conceded but he couldn’t help but feel that she was hiding something. 

As the day wore on Jaime could see that Arya was making every effort to seem like she was healthy as usual. Late that afternoon Arya fell asleep on her horse and slumped forward. She looked as if she might fall off at any moment. Jaime reached over and grabbed the reins to her mare and stopped both his horse and hers. He dismounted and made it to her side just before she actually did fall off. She wasn’t heavy or difficult to carry. He took her to a nearby fallen log and sat down with her still in his lap. 

“Arya?” he said, in an attempt to wake her up. “Arya, are you alright?” 

She moved a little and her eyes opened. “W-what happened?” she asked groggy and confused. 

“You fell asleep. Nearly fell from your horse but I caught you.” Jaime explained. 

Her expression changed from groggy to slight worry and her hands moved to rest on her belly. It was then that it all made sense. Cersei was always putting her hands on her pregnant belly protectively. Arya was pregnant. That’s why she was so tired and was sick in the mornings and that was why she kept trying to claim she was perfectly fine. 

“How far along are you?” He asked her, his eyes on her hands. 

Her eyes filled with tears, her cheeks reddened, and she wrenched herself free from his arms and got to her feet. “How dare you? You have no right…” 

Jaime shrugged. “Maybe not, but it’s true isn’t it?” 

Arya sighed. “It’s going to take nearly two months to reach Riverrun and just as long to return to Winterfell. I won’t be able to hide it any longer by then.” 

Jaime was confused. “Then why in seven hells did you agree to this insane trip to Riverrun while pregnant?” 

“I didn’t just agree to it. It was my idea. I don’t want to be a burden to Jon and Sansa. I don’t want people talking about my dishonor and making it harder for him to rule. I needed to be gone and at least this way I can do something useful.” 

“You should have said something before now.” 

“Said what exactly?” Arya asked, angry. “By the way I’m with child and might fall asleep or puke at any moment? I’ve had years of training as a faceless man and with a sword and now I’m reduced to a useless helpless woman!” 

“You’re neither useless nor helpless and there’s nothing wrong with being a woman.” 

“How would you know? You’ve never been one.” 

“No, but I know what it is to be helpless if that’s what you’re getting at. Everyone needs help sometimes. There is no dishonor in it.” Jaime said gently. 

“Perhaps not but there is dishonor in mothering a bastard child.” 

“I was a father of three bastard children. I was never ashamed of it. Cersei was the one who wanted to keep it secret because she cared about status, about being queen. There is no reason to-” 

“I’m not ashamed.” Arya cut off his words. “I’m not. I just don’t want to make trouble for Jon. He has enough to deal with being King and with the Dead coming. He doesn’t need to waste time defending his whore sister.” 

Something about her words saddened him. “What happened Arya? Where is the father of your child?” 

Arya shrugged. “Somewhere in the Vale. When I came home from Braavos I went through the Vale. I had a bad fall on one of the Mountain. One of the Mountain clans took me in and helped tend my wounds. There was a man there Omar, not much older than I was. Mostly we just talked and laughed a lot. The night before I was set to leave, we did more than talk. I don’t regret it. He was kind to me and funny but I couldn’t stay with him. I liked him but I didn’t love him and I needed to go home.” 

“I think you need to go home now too,” Jaime said. “We should turn around and go back now while we’re only a few days from Winterfell.” 

“Why? Are you afraid of a pregnant woman?” 

“Yes, actually I am. I’ve known a few, They can be quite terrifying. Besides, since I’ve sworn fealty to Jon, it is my duty to not let any harm befall his sister. You’d be safest at Winterfell.” 

“Maybe I would be safer there but I’d also be a distraction. If we’re going to survive the Winter, our king doesn’t need to be worrying about his sister’s pregnancy or her honor. It’s better for everyone if I’m not there.” 

“I think we’ll leave that for the king to decide,” Jaime said getting to his feet. “Mount your horse. We’re going back.” 

“No,” Arya said calmly, her hand on her sword. “I’m not going back.” 

“Arya, don’t be stubborn about this. All I need to do is send your brother a raven and he’d order you back.” 

“You haven’t got any ravens here. There won’t be any until we reach Torrhen’s Square. In any case, I’m not going back not until after the baby comes. Besides, Jon needs the sword and the Lannister men at Riverrun. We have to see this through.” 

Jaime sighed. “I’m not going to draw my sword against a pregnant woman. You want to go south, we’ll go south.” 

“Good,” Arya said simply and she mounted her horse. “Pregnant or not, I could have still beaten you.” 

“Let’s hope we never need to find out,” Jaime said as he set off on his own horse.


	2. Chapter 2

Arya didn’t want Jaime’s help and now that he knew about her condition she could see that he was worrying over her and trying to be helpful where he could. This was exactly what she had been trying to avoid in bringing him along. Jon hadn’t wanted her to go alone and with the Lannister troops already stationed at Riverrun it made sense to suggest Jaime go with her but that hadn’t been the only reason she had suggested Jaime go with her. It had also been because she expected a certain amount of antagonism from him. He wouldn’t treat her gently just because she was a woman. He’d probably spend half the trip insulting her and the other half ignoring her. That was what she had wanted or at least that was preferable to being treated like a helpless lady who might faint at any moment. Maybe she would have gotten her wish if she hadn’t kept throwing up and falling asleep. 

Arya hated being so tired all the time. She had never been so exhausted. The occasional throwing up she could tolerate but the sleepiness was driving her crazy. It meant that she wasn’t alert and wouldn’t do well in a fight. After falling asleep on her horse for the third time that afternoon Arya woke up on the ground with Jaime kneeling next to her. 

“Shit,” she muttered at realizing what had happened. 

“I tried to catch you Stark. I didn’t quite make it in time.” 

“I don’t need you to catch me. I’m fine.” she said pulling herself to sit up. 

“If you want to continue this mission of yours, maybe we should share a horse. That way if you fall asleep you won’t end up on the ground.” 

“I’m barely even hurt. I’m not going to die falling off a horse,” Arya got to her feet and tried to ignore the bruising she felt in her body. 

“It has been known to happen,” Jaime pointed out unhelpfully. 

Arya turned and mounted her horse anyway. “Maybe if you weren’t so boring I wouldn’t keep falling asleep.” she told him. 

He went back to his horse. “Boring you say? I’ve been called a lot of things but never boring.” 

“Yes, well I wouldn’t have expected it either. I thought the Kingslayer would have a much sharper wit. At least that’s what I’d heard.” 

“So is that why you invited me along on this crazy journey of yours? Because you thought I would be entertaining?” Jaime asked her with a grin. 

“I thought you wouldn’t be boring,” Arya said, not wanting to stray into the territory he was suggesting. 

“Does it disappoint you to find that the kingslayer is rather ordinary?” he continued. 

“You’re not ordinary,” Arya spoke without thinking.

“Really? Now I’m intrigued. I suppose I should see it as a compliment that the Stark warrior woman thinks the kingslayer is not ordinary?” 

Arya turned and gave him a look as his horse came up alongside hers. “Are you mocking me?” 

“No,” he said still grinning. “I’m merely trying to to not be boring. So tell me, how is it that I’m not ordinary?” 

“No, that would be stupid. It would only make you more arrogant than you already are,” Arya said plainly. 

“You think I’m the one who is arrogant? You who insists that that you can beat any man in the practice yard?” 

“I never insisted on any such thing.” 

“Yes, you did. You suggest it everyday and everywhere you go wearing that little blade and that smug smile. Your sister has the arrogance of a highborn lady and yours, yours is something else entirely, perhaps a pride that you’ve earned from training and practice but it’s there nonetheless.” 

“Just like your Lannister arrogance because your father had lots of gold?” 

Jaime shrugged. “At least I don’t deny it and pretend to be honorable like you Starks.”

“Starks don’t pretend to be honorable. We actually are,” she said, offended. 

“So what happened to the Frey’s had nothing to do with you?” 

Arya paled. It wasn’t as if she had made public what she had done at the Twins. 

“And I suppose poisoning the entire family was the honorable thing to do?” 

“They all took part in killing Rob and Mother.” Arya started to argue. “Every one of them.” 

“I don’t doubt it. But was what you did justice or was it simply murder?” 

“I didn’t know Jon was King. I didn’t know there was a Warden of the North who would even care about justice. I did what I thought needed to be done.” 

“You don’t find that the least bit arrogant?” Jaime asked. “Taking justice into your own hands like that?” 

“I suppose you could call it that,” Arya admitted, unwillingly. 

“See, now this isn’t boring,” Jaime said, almost amused with the turn in conversation. “I guess I should have believed you when you promised me an interesting trip.” 

******************************

At the end of the first week of their journey, Jaime woke again in the morning like he always did, to an empty campsite and the sound of Arya throwing up somewhere in the nearby forest. She really hadn’t complained all week about the sickness or the exhaustion but had simply tried to brush it off as if she were fine. She wasn’t fine. Jaime had been keeping a close eye on her and she had been taking in a lot less food as the days went by. He got up that morning and instead of waiting for her to return to the campsite he headed off towards the sound of where she seemed to be. 

Jaime found Arya knelt on the ground over a fallen log, retching a clearly empty stomach. He sat down on the log and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve made some tea that might help.” He told her gently. “Let’s go back.” 

Her eyes met his as she tried to catch her breath and control the heaving of her stomach and he noted that there were tears on her face. “I can’t yet,” she said after a moment. 

“You’re too weak to walk,” he said with realization. “That’s why it always takes you so long to come back each morning.” 

“I’ll be fine in a few minutes. It’s almost as if emptying my stomach takes away all my strength for a little while. It comes back though. I’ll be fine.” 

“You should have said something,” Jaime said as he leaned closer to her and picked her up. He carried her back through the woods to the campsite. She was limp and weak against him. If she hadn’t been so weak he was pretty sure she would have protested at being carried like this. 

Jaime set her down near the fireside on her bedroll and passed her the cup of tea that he had prepared. She took a look inside the cup and didn’t seem enthusiastic at the idea of drinking anything. 

“Cersei used to drink a tea almost like this while she was pregnant,” Jaime told her. “I found most of the ingredients among our supplies and in the woods. A few things are missing but hopefully what’s there will be enough, She swore that it helped with the sickness.” 

Arya took a second look at the cup and then hesitantly took a sip. “It tastes terrible.” 

“I never said it would taste good. Just give it a try.” 

Arya drank a little more of the tea and as the minutes passed he could tell by the relaxed look on her face that she was feeling better. “Well, I guess your sister had something right after all,” Arya said after a while. “This is helping. Thank you.” 

Jaime nodded. “It’s nothing,” he said.


	3. Chapter 3

Arya awoke on Jaime’s horse with his arm wrapped firmly around her middle and a pain in her head. She had been riding her own horse for the entire three weeks since they set out and she didn’t remember getting on Jaime’s horse and had no idea why her head was throbbing the way it was. She readed up and touched her temple and found that her head was bleeding. 

“Seven hells…” she muttered. 

“You’re awake,” Jaime said. “How are you feeling?”

“What happened?” Arya asked, still confused. 

“You fell asleep. Took quite a fall and hit your head. I don’t think you should ride alone after this.” 

Arya wanted to argue with him. She wanted to insist that she could sit a horse just fine on her own but the exhaustion in her body and the blood on her head were proof that he was right. Riding alone was a bad idea right now. Her only consolation was that this was temporary. She would have the baby and then she would be herself again. She would have to carry the baby in a sling like wildlings did but she wouldn’t need help anymore in a few more months. “Maybe not,” Arya finally agreed aloud. “How long have I been out?” 

“A few hours. I was hoping to find a maester or else I might not have put you on a horse at all.” Jaime said. 

Arya touched her head again. “The cut isn’t too deep. I think I’ll be okay now.” 

“I think you'll find your ankle is hurt as well, at least it looked twisted and caught in the stirrup when you fell.” 

Arya tried moving her feet and only managed a whimper at the pain in her left ankle. “It is.” she said frustrated. “I had better be able to walk on it or…” 

“Or I’ll help you get where you need to be. It’s not a problem.” Jaime said. 

Arya didn't like it but there was little she could do but accept his help. When evening came Jaime dismounted first and offered Arya a hand down from the horse. She was relieved to find that her ankle could hold her weight after all. It was wasn’t broken, just sore. She was able to help set up the campsite as usual without too much trouble. 

A short time later the pair of them were sitting at the fireside eating dinner from their supplies when movement within her belly startled Arya. 

“Seven hells…” she said, amazed. “I think I just felt the baby move.” 

“It’s a bit early for that, isn’t it?” Jaime said. 

“I don’t know,” Arya said, really not having any idea. “I never paid any attention when ladies were talking about babies and pregnancy. I didn’t expect I would marry or have children if I could help it.” 

“If you didn’t want children, I take it you at least knew about moon tea back when were in the Vale?” Jaime asked. 

“Of course,” Arya shrugged. “I had it the morning I left the Vale. I guess it didn’t work or maybe they didn’t give me the real thing. I wouldn’t know. I’d never tasted it before. Besides, once I got used to the idea, a baby didn’t sound so bad.” 

“That’s an unlikely thing to say, coming from you. I would never have assumed you to be the motherly type but people can surprise us sometimes.” 

Arya wasn’t upset by his words. It was almost a compliment that he didn’t see her as motherly but she supposed other women might have taken insult in what he’d said. “This doesn’t mean I have to wear dresses and be confined to the castle.” she explained. “Nothing is going to change. I’ll still practice with Needle and I’ll still help fight the Dead when the time comes.” 

“How are you going to do that with a baby?” 

“Wildling women carry their children in slings or on their back. Dothraki mothers take their children on horseback. I don’t see why I can’t do the same.” 

“Ah, so you don’t plan on being a traditional lady mother. That at least makes sense,” Jaime said knowingly. 

“Another reason to stay away from Winterfell for now. Sansa would hate it that if I have a daughter, I won’t force her to be a lady and if I have a son, he doesn’t have to learn to fight. He can be a maester or a septon or a sailor if he wants. I don’t care. As long as we survive the Long Night, it doesn’t matter what we do after that.” 

“That’s all very nice and idealistic but what if your daughter wants be a lady?” Jaime asked her. 

Arya thought about that for a moment. “Then I suppose I’ll have to accept it.” 

“It’s not always easy to accept what our children become,” Jaime said sadly. 

“You mean Joffrey?” Arya said, not really needing to ask. It was obvious what he was talking about.”You didn’t approve of him?” 

“You and I both know that Joffrey was a little shit...but if things had been different...maybe he could have been better.” 

“Maybe…” Arya began, and then went on in spite of knowing she shouldn’t argue with her companion about his evil dead son. “Different how? You mean if Cersei hadn’t been telling him his whole life that he was the king?” 

“I mean that it might have been different if the father who raised him had cared about more than just wine and feasts and the memory of a woman who died a long time ago. Maybe if either of his parents had cared about honor…” 

“If either of his parents had cared about honor they’d have died even sooner than they did.” Arya spoke up. 

Jaime seemed amused at her words. “Are you telling me that I’ve finally met a Stark who doesn’t care about honor?” 

“I do care about honor but honor doesn’t protect anyone. Especially not when doing the right thing makes people hate you. Honor isn’t always enough.” 

“Point taken,” Jaime said, moving to add another log to the fire. “It’s late Stark, and it’s cold. I think I’ll turn in.” 

He was right about it being cold. Arya covered herself in furs and tried her best to sleep but within a short time she felt snowflakes falling on her cheeks. Eventually she did fall asleep. She awoke some hours later covered in a heavy blanket of snow. Jaime was awake nearby attempting to stir up the embers of the dying fire and make it burn again. 

“The snow put the fire out,” Arya stated, a little concerned because she was already feeling numbness in her toes. 

“It did. Everything is wet. I don’t think any of this is going to burn now.” 

“Seven hells…” Arya muttered, sitting up and throwing back her furs so she could try and bring some circulation back to her feet. 

Jaime watched her for a moment before speaking again. “We’d best share furs.” 

“What?” Arya had heard him clearly enough and she understood why he was suggesting it. Even so, she hadn’t expected it. 

Jaime didn’t say it a second time. He set to work arranging his furs along with the ones she had thrown aside. Without a word, Arya joined him on his side of the fire. She didn’t like it, being so close to this Lannister. It was bad enough sharing a horse with him by day and now this. As he put the furs over top of them and moved close enough to her that they could share warmth, she had to admit to herself that it was nice to be warm for once. It had been days and days of nothing but cold. The warmth was a welcome relief. She felt his arm encircle her just before sleep finally came.


	4. Chapter 4

It was late morning. Arya had finally managed to stop puking and find the strength to get to her feet and head back to the campsite. She had almost reached the clearing where they were camped when the sound of horses approaching stopped her. It was one man and two horses, one without a rider that came and stopped by the fire. 

“Got any wine?” The older fellow on horseback asked Jaime who had been in the midst of saddling his own horse. 

“As a matter of fact I do,” Jaime said. “You have any coins?” 

“Oh come now? I’m just an old man and haven’t got so much as matching boots to my name. Give me a spot of wine and I’ll give you some free advice.” The man said. 

Jaime looked annoyed but he moved to get the wineskin anyhow. The man took a swig and passed it back to him. “So what is it? What great elderly wisdom are you going to share with me as payment?” 

“You ought to have looked for the other rider,” the old man said and he began to laugh. 

Arya saw what he meant before Jaime did. A second stranger was approaching Jaime from behind through the trees. The stranger’s sword was drawn and the old man reached for his sword in that moment too. Jaime’s sword (not Widow’s Wail because he had left that at Winterfell for the war effort but an ordinary blade) lay at the fireside along with Needle. Jaime knocked aside the old man’s sword with his golden hand and the blade fell to the ground but the younger man in the woods had reached him and put a blade to his neck. 

“Give it up Lannister. Give us the golden hand!” The younger man demanded. 

“You seriously plan to rob a man of his hand?” Jaime protested. 

“A Lannister ain’t exactly a man,” the younger man said. “More like a monster and it’s better for everyone if monsters don’t have hands.” 

Those words made Arya angry. Jaime was not a monster. Far from it. She had to do something. She didn’t have Needle at her side but she did have the dagger that Bran had given her. Arya moved quickly. 

“Don’t move,” She said, firmly, he blade on the old man’s leg. “Don’t move or this blade goes into your leg so deeply that in a few minutes you’ll be dead. You over there?” Arya called out to the man who held Jaime hostage. “This man your father?” 

“My Uncle. What are you going to do?” 

“What does it look like I’m going to do? Invite him home for a feast? No. I’m going to stab him unless you let my friend go. You’re not getting any gold from us.” 

“Go ahead. Do it. My Uncle used to beat the shit out of me anyway. I’d rather have the gold.” The man said.  
“Don’t be stupid. You aren’t getting the gold. I’ll kill your Uncle and if you’re very fast you might kill Jaime but you’re not fast enough to kill him, remove his hand and get away before I kill you,” Arya pointed out. “The only way you live the rest of the day is if you let him go and the both of you leave, now.” 

The man holding Jaime at swordpoint hesitated,. It was only a moment, a small instant of hesitation but Jaime saw it and it was enough, enough to knock aside the sword with his golden hand and make a dive for his own sword by the fire. 

The fight that followed was just sad. Arya watched as Jaime had a difficult time parrying blows by this commoner with a rusted sword. She wanted to interfere, to help him but didn’t dare leave the old man to himself. He might have a knife of weapons hidden somewhere, she would let Jaime see this through unless it seemed like he couldn’t. It almost seemed like their robber would win. In the end, Jaime did manage to beat him and both men left on their horses agreeing to never bother them again. 

“You alright?” Arya asked Jaime as the strangers rode away. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“You have a…” she reached up and touched a cut on his temple. “He cut you.” 

“I suppose he did.” Jaime said, taking her hand and moving it aside. He did not let go. “I won’t die though. Not today.” 

“Good,” she said genuinely meaning it. “We should go before they change their minds and come back and try again.” 

Something was different about riding with Jaime that day. Arya hadn’t realized until he nearly died that she didn’t want him to die. That she actually enjoyed spending time with hm. His company was easier than Sansa’s or Bran’s or even Jon’s. They were her family and she loved them dearly but they had never fully understood her. She doubted Jaime understood her either but he at least didn’t try to change her. And he did make her laugh sometimes. His arm around her as they rode that day was actually somewhat comforting.


End file.
